UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM AND INQUIRY-BASED ACTIVITIES IN WETLAND SETTINGS

Upward Bound, a federal education program, focuses on getting low-income students with parents without baccalaureates, to finish high school, enroll, and graduate from college. In summer of 2009, a group of 12 high school students participated in the Upward Bound program at a mid-size Midwest college summer program. One area the group focused on as a laboratory science was “geo-science.” The group examined wetlands within Allen County, Indiana, collecting soil samples and analyzing the soil samples from three wetlands in the laboratory. Water samples from the St. Joseph, a creek, holding pond, and a well all within the campus, were tested for conductivity, pH, hardness, phosphate, oxygen, nitrate, and temperature using field test kits. Water samples pH is above seven with a mean of 8.6. Conductivity values ranged from 112-520 ppm, with the creek and well waters having the highest conductivity values. The students presented their result to their peers, and during their presentation, they discussed rocks and minerals, glacial, soil and water samples. Their results show variability even when the water samples were taken from the same water body, although from different spots. The complete results of their water samples and soil analysis will be presented.